In part two of our interview with veteran journalist Ron Suskind about his explosive new book, "Confidence Men: Wall Street, Washington, and the Education of a President," he examines the challenges faced by President Obama, and his evolution as a leader. “You see the president grappling, often with great might, to try to get his arms around what is often an untenable situation,” says Suskind. “He has a team around him with long Washington experience, and long histories with one another.

Democracy Now! 2011-09-23 Friday

• Headlines for September 23, 2011
• Debate: Does U.N. Statehood Bid Advance or Undermine Palestinian Struggle?
• "Confidence Men" Author Ron Suskind Responds to Obama Admin's Fiery Denials About Financial Crisis

Download this show

9/22/11 - Joint meeting of the Board of Selectmen and Economic Development Advisory Board.

Troy Anthony Davis, who maintained his innocence until his last breath, was executed by the state of Georgia Wednesday night. As the world watched to see whether Davis’ final appeal for a stay of execution would be granted by the U.S. Supreme Court, Democracy Now! Democracy Now! was the only news outlet to continuously broadcast live from the prison grounds in Jackson, Georgia. During our 6-hour special report, we spoke with Davis’ supporters and family members who held all-day vigil, then heard from those who witnessed his death by lethal injection at 11:08 p.m.

9/21/11 - Warrant Committee meeting in Belmont, MA.

8/10/11 - Part 1 of the Payson Park Music Festival, featuring the band, Joshua Tree.

8/10/11 - Part 2 of the Payson Park Music Festival, featuring the band, Joshua Tree.

Democracy Now! 2011-09-22 Thursday

• Headlines for September 22, 2011
• Democracy Now! Special Report From Troy Davis Execution: Did Georgia Kill An Innocent Man?
• Freed In Iran: U.S. Hikers Urge Freedom for All Political Prisoners

Download this show

The U.S. hikers Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal have been released in Iran after two years in prison on charges of espionage. Bauer and Fattal were granted bail earlier today and handed over to Swiss diplomats. The pair were arrested in 2009, along with Sarah Shourd, while hiking near the Iran-Iraq border. We get reaction from Esther Kaplan of the Nation Institute, a colleague of the hikers who last year published an extensive investigation reporting that they were arrested on the Iraqi side of the Iran-Iraq border—not in Iran as the Iranian government has claimed.